GCSE Geography Case Study Overview

Your Natural World exam focuses on physical geography topics that affect millions of people worldwide. You'll need to understand how natural processes create both hazards and distinctive landscapes.

The exam covers four main areas: global hazards (like earthquakes and extreme weather), distinctive landscapes (rivers and coasts), changing climate impacts, and sustaining ecosystems. Each topic requires specific case study knowledge.

Key Tip: Focus on learning the causes, consequences, and responses for each case study - these three elements appear in most exam questions.

Remember, you need both UK and non-UK examples for weather hazards, showing how location and development level affect how people cope with natural disasters.

Global Hazards Requirements

You need to master two contrasting weather hazard case studies - one from the UK and one from abroad. These must include either flash flooding/tropical storms or heatwave/drought events.

For tectonic hazards, you'll study one major earthquake or volcanic event that caused significant problems for people. The focus is on understanding why these events become disasters.

Exam Focus: Questions often ask you to compare how different countries respond to similar hazards.

Each case study requires you to explain the specific causes (what triggered the event), consequences (what damage occurred), and responses $how people and governments reacted both immediately and long-term$.

Haiti Earthquake 2010 - Tectonic Disaster

The Haiti earthquake struck on 12th January 2010, measuring magnitude 7 with devastating consequences for this Caribbean nation. Haiti sits on a conservative plate boundary where the North American and Caribbean plates move in opposite directions.

The earthquake's impact was catastrophic: over 230,000 people died and 1.5 million became homeless. The shallow focus (15km deep) and proximity to Port-au-Prince made it particularly destructive. Poor building standards meant 50% of structures collapsed.

Short-term responses included $1.79 billion in international aid within a month, though damaged infrastructure made distribution difficult. The US army took control of the airport to coordinate relief efforts.

Why It Matters: This case study shows how poverty makes natural hazards far more deadly - Haiti's lack of earthquake-resistant buildings turned a geological event into a humanitarian catastrophe.

Long-term responses focused on debt cancellation by industrialised countries, though recovery remained slow with 98% of rubble still uncleared six months later.

UK Drought 2012 - Weather Hazard

The 2012 UK drought affected central, eastern and southern England after receiving only 55-95% of normal rainfall between April 2010 and May 2012. Unusual wind patterns brought dry air from Europe instead of wet Atlantic winds.

Primary impacts included water shortages affecting crops and livestock, plus widespread wildfires across moorlands in Wales, Surrey and Scotland. Rivers dropped to dangerously low levels, harming wildlife.

The main response was hosepipe bans affecting 20 million people, with £1000 fines for violations. Water companies received permits to extract river water, whilst campaigns encouraged household water conservation.

Real-World Impact: Simple actions like turning off taps whilst brushing teeth can save 6 litres per minute - showing how individual choices matter during water shortages.

Secondary impacts hit recreation hard, with golf clubs and sports grounds struggling to maintain facilities during the restrictions.

Typhoon Haiyan 2013 - Tropical Storm

Typhoon Haiyan smashed into the Philippines on 8th November 2013 with record-breaking 195mph winds - the strongest storm ever to make landfall. The Philippines' location near the equator in the warm Pacific Ocean makes it a typhoon hotspot.

The super typhoon killed over 6,300 people and destroyed 1.2 million homes. The 20-foot storm surge proved the biggest killer, catching many residents unprepared despite typhoon warnings.

International responses included 100 tonnes of emergency rice supplies, whilst HMS Illustrious delivered British aid after a 10-day journey. Save the Children focused on helping the most vulnerable victims.

Climate Connection: Sea temperatures over 30°C provided massive energy for the storm, showing how warm oceans fuel extreme weather.

Long-term recovery involved rebuilding infrastructure and replanting 100,000 mangrove trees as natural coastal barriers. The estimated rebuild cost reached $5.8 billion for this developing nation.

UK Climate Change Impacts

Climate change will transform the UK's weather patterns, bringing warmer but wetter winters and hotter, drier summers. These changes create both challenges and opportunities for British society.

Negative impacts include increased coastal flooding threatening low-lying areas, water shortages (especially around London), and more extreme flash floods. Heat-related health problems may rise, with diseases like malaria potentially spreading northward.

However, positive impacts could boost tourism as more Britons holiday domestically, whilst farmers might grow new warm-climate crops. Lower heating costs and new construction jobs building sea defences could benefit the economy.

Future Focus: Understanding these projected changes helps you evaluate adaptation strategies and government policies.

Environmental benefits might include new wetland habitats from coastal changes and different wildlife species colonising Britain's warming landscape.

River Tees Landforms

The River Tees in northeast England perfectly demonstrates how geomorphic processes shape distinctive river landscapes from source to mouth. Its 20-metre High Force waterfall and winding meanders near Yarm show contrasting upper and lower course features.

High Force waterfall formed where hard rock overlies softer rock layers. Hydraulic action erodes the softer rock faster, creating a step that develops into a plunge pool. Eventually, the unsupported hard rock collapses, causing the waterfall to retreat upstream over thousands of years.

The meanders near Yarm result from lateral erosion in the lower course. Helical flow creates a corkscrew water movement, with faster flow on outer bends forming river cliffs, whilst slower inner bends deposit sediment as point bars.

Exam Strategy: Learn the step-by-step formation processes - diagrams and numbered explanations score well in 6-mark questions.

This 700-metre gorge shows how persistent erosion shapes landscapes over geological timescales, creating the dramatic scenery that attracts thousands of visitors annually.